Ice Rink: Before and After
by KyteAura
Summary: Her first experince in ice skating as a child...and then many more to come. Eriol x Tomoyo


Facts:  
  
  
Written by KyteAura  
Titled by Angel-Hiragizawa32  
Betaed by Dana Daidouji  
Dedicated to DaNe and Rachie  
Disclaimer goes to CLAMP  
  
  
  
  
Fiction Alias:  
  
  
Titled- Ice Rink: Before and After  
Genre- Romance/Humour  
Rating- G  
Langauge- English  
Pairing- Eriol x Tomoyo  
Type- One Shot/One Chapter  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I really don't know if I can do this." Cried a cute little six-year old, her eyes looking at her mother in sheer terror.  
  
  
"Now Tomoyo-chan, behave yourself." Her mother exclaimed, trying to calm her daughter, while at the same time trying to pry the little child's hand away from her arm. Fear always gets the best of people, and little Tomoyo Daidouji was no exception as her grip on her mother's arm hardens.  
  
  
"Don't make me do this today, Kaa-chan! Can't we just come back when I'm older and more prepared? Your little Tomoyo-chan doesn't want to learn how to ice skate." She said her eyes near tears.  
  
  
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan you have to learn this sooner or later, why not sooner? Once you get the hang of it everyone will be praising you at how graceful you are on the ice." Sonomi told her as she finally broke the grip Tomoyo had on her arm. "Now come on."  
  
  
With that Sonomi took her daughter's pale little hand and together they walked closer to the ice skating rink, their skates already secured tightly on their feet.  
  
  
Not wanting to fight with her mother, knowing that this is one of those rare moments when she had free time. She allowed herself to be dragged closer and closer to the rink of ice.  
  
  
Her mother had recently become the CEO of Daidouji Enterprise, after Tomoyo-chan's father had suddenly passed away; her mother was left to take over the company. Due to the life changing event the little Daidouji's mother has been busy ever since.  
  
  
"Kaa-chan, can I sit and watch you skate first? It would give me more courage." She said, as Sonomi was going to help her step onto the ice for the first time.  
  
  
This was her only way; stall for as long as possible!  
  
  
"Tomoyo-chan you know that I don't want to leave you all alone. There are a lot of people around this time of year, what if one of them kidnapped you?" Her firm voice stated. They had decided to go to a public ice skating rink, with many adults and kids around, it wasn't safe for a 6 year old girl to be alone.  
  
  
"You know that your Tou-chan was famous because of the Daidouji company, and if someone kidnaps little Tomoyo-chan they would ask a lot of money from Kaa-chan. You don't want that, do you? To make your mother worry like that, I could die from fear of losing you." Her mother said, trying to guilt the child into going along with her.  
  
  
"Tomoyo-chan doesn't want that..." She said in agreement. "Okay, I will come with you."  
  
  
The little one walked towards the entering of the ice skating rink and took a step onto the slippery ice. Once her skates fell in contact with the ice below her, she nearly fell. However, Tomoyo had felt that she would have trouble before she stepped onto the ice. By then she had instinctively latched her hands to the railing close to her, keeping her from falling.  
  
  
By that time her mother had already entered the ice skating rink with ease.  
  
  
"Are you alright sweetie?" Sonomi said as she skated closer to her daughter, by then Tomoyo had tears coming out of beautiful eyes.  
  
  
"I don't want to do this anymore, take me home!" She screamed, as a few people looked at the little child wailing.  
  
  
Sonomi sensed the people around them staring at her and she faced the little crowd and told them that it was her daughter's first time ice skating. They gave her a sympathy nod of understanding and let the mother tend to her child.  
  
  
"My dear child you don't have to scream like that. You know it is okay to fall because Kaa-chan is here to pick you up when you do." Her mother said trying the best to soothe the still frightened child.  
  
  
"As much as I love Kaa-chan, I don't want to fall. If I fall it is going to hurt, even after Kaa-chan picks me back up." Tomoyo said wisely, adjusting her hands so it could grasp the railing more securely.  
  
  
"Oh Tomoyo-chan..." Her mother sighed. How could a child as little as Tomoyo understand? "Even though you have fallen, and even though it hurts Tomoyo-chan you have to let go of the pain you feel and keep on going. After your father left Kaa-chan for heaven, Kaa-chan is still going, even though I am in pain right?"  
  
  
Tomoyo nodded.  
  
  
"I'll be brave just like you!" Tomoyo suddenly decided as she let go of the railing cautiously and with her small little feet she slowly moved a small inch.  
  
  
She smiled in joy once she found out that she hadn't slipped to the cool ground. With the other foot she slided a little, bringing her body along with her. After experimenting with the ice, to see if she would fall, Tomoyo had started to enjoy it more than she thought and soon enough to slide a bit faster.  
  
  
"I'm so proud of you Tomoyo-chan!" Her mother exclaimed with pride as she wanted her little girl slide little by little.  
  
  
Before Sonomi could get closer to Tomoyo her cell phone began to ring. She took the phone out of her jacket pocket and answered it with a formal greeting. The person on the other line started speaking and by the time that person finished their side Sonomi lost concentration on what she was originally doing. She stepped out of the ice and walked towards the locker to gather some of the papers she brought to read. With that she left the poor amethyst-haired Tomoyo all alone to skate.  
  
  
She was so excited about doing so well, Tomoyo hadn't noticed her mother leaving her unattended. After she got half way from where she was Tomoyo finally turned around to see if her mother was still watching her, taking care of her like she was supposed to. She shifted her little purple eyes for her mother, and yet she couldn't see her. With that she suddenly lost her footing and fell hard onto the ice. Tears started to form in her eyes, but she didn't wail like most kids would. Her little hands were freezing from touching the ice when she had tried to stop the impact. Why hadn't she listened to her mother when Sonomi told her to wear her gloves? Aside from the cold her butt hurts since it took most of the weight.  
  
  
Her mother wasn't there to pick her back up like she had promised. That thought made her tears run down faster than they ever had. Where had she suddenly gone? Wasn't her mother the one that told her she didn't want to leave her unattended because she could be kidnapped?  
  
  
No one noticed the little girl that fell down for they were all busy having fun skating with ease. The people that worked there were too busy chatting among themselves to really notice a little figure down on the ice. So Tomoyo just sat there, not bothering to try and get up, hoping her mother would come back for her and pick her up like she said she would.  
  
  
After a minute or two a boy about her age skated towards Tomoyo at full speed. Afraid that he would crash into her tiny figure she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact. When it didn't occur her eyes opened slightly to see that the boy had stopped right before he could make contact.  
  
  
"Isn't it cold down there?" The blue-haired boy asked as he pulled out one of his hands for hers.  
  
  
"Yes, it is very cold." She confirmed, but not taking the offered hand.  
  
  
"What is the matter?" He said, his sapphire eyes staring down at the girl before him.  
  
  
"I fell." Tomoyo said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it was. Why else would a girl be down on the ice like that?  
  
  
"Then why don't you just get back up?" He asked her with confusion.  
  
  
"I am waiting." Even though Tomoyo wasn't really supposed to be talking to strangers, it is an exception if he was the same age right?  
  
  
"Waiting?" Apparently the answer she gave him wasn't enough and so he sat down on the ice, his bottom immediately getting cold.  
  
  
"My Kaa-chan told me that it is okay to fall because if I did she would be right there to pick me up. I did fell, but she isn't here yet and I don't know why." She explained to him.  
  
  
"Maybe she had something to do and was in a hurry." The boy said, trying to reason with her.  
  
  
"I'm her daughter, doesn't that mean anything?" She shot back.  
  
  
"I suppose so. Since your Kaa-chan isn't here now, how about me picking you up when you fall? Can I be the one to pick you up when you fall?" He said to her innocently.  
  
  
Tomoyo thought about it and figured she had nothing to lose so she nodded. The boy smiled and got up from the ice and held out the same hand he did before. This time Tomoyo took it and with that they boy pulled her up from the ice to his arms.  
  
  
"Boy you are strong!" Tomoyo said cutely as she was pulled up so hard she fell into his embrace.  
  
  
"If I was weak, I wouldn't be able to pull you up like I promised." He said dutifully. "So now that I have pulled you together do you want to skate with me?"  
  
  
Tomoyo looked at him with more fear than ever.  
  
  
"I just fell and you want me to keep on skating? It hurts very much the first time, why would I want to try it again?" She told him as she clung to the railing once more.  
  
  
"Well I learned that even though you have fallen, the person that helps you up is the one that will help you get over the fear." He said referring to a television show he'd seen once. "Since I'm the one that brought you back up to your feet, it is only fair that I help you get over your fear of ice skating too, right?"  
  
  
"Wow..." The little girl said in shock. "You smart too!"  
  
  
The boy grinned at the girl.  
  
  
"Now come on!" He said as he took both of Tomoyo's hands. "We will take this one step at a time okay?"  
  
  
"Un!" Tomoyo nodded, going back to her cheerful self.  
  
  
So for a few minutes the savior skated backwards while little Tomoyo skated forward, hand in hand. Before she knew it Tomoyo had asked the boy if she could skate side by side with him. He gave her a proud smile and obligated happily.  
  
  
Together they skated around the rink, and that caused Tomoyo's spirit to soar as she skated faster and faster with the sweet stranger by her side. Some people sitting on the sidelines, waiting for their aching feet to stop it's throbbing, noticed the two skating. They were in awe at how skilled they were at such a young age, and even though most of them wouldn't admit it they were envious at how right they looked on ice.  
  
  
One teenager on the sidelines that was watching then made a comment on how if they tried out for the Olympics they would win the gold all the way.  
  
  
After awhile the two got tired and decided to get out of the rink for just a little while. The boy asked for her name and his companion was about to answer, but the sound of her mother's voice beat her to it.  
  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!!!" The lady cried as she ran as fast as she could towards her daughter.  
  
  
"Kaa-chan!" Tomoyo yelled as she was crushed into her mother's embrace.  
  
  
"I am so sorry sweetheart. Kaa-chan had gotten an important call and had to get the papers from the locker." Her mother explained as she held onto her daughter tighter, happy that she was alright.  
  
  
"It is okay Kaa-chan. While you were away, I fell!" Tomoyo announced proudly.  
  
  
"You did?" Her mother instantly replied in horror at not being there for something as important as that.  
  
  
"Ah-huh and when I did I waited for you, Kaa-chan. Though you were gone, but then by some kind of magic this boy--" By this time she could see her mother's face becoming pale. "Don't worry Kaa-chan, this boy was around my age and he was VERY nice! He listened to me when I told him what happened and he helped me up and was such a nice boy. You would have loved him!"  
  
  
Sonomi looked at her little girl with joy as she talked about this stranger.  
  
  
"If my daughter thinks that he is nice then I'm sure she is right. After all you take after me, you have a great judgement of character little one." Tomoyo gave her a confused look.  
  
  
"What is that Kaa-chan?" Even though Tomoyo was smart and wise beyond he age there are some words and phrases that were still foreign to her.  
  
  
"Well sweetie let's just say that whoever you think is a good person is sure to be a good person." Tomoyo nodded and said in a cute little voice, 'oh'.  
  
  
Sonomi kissed her daughter on the forehead.  
  
  
"So where is this boy now?" She said as her young eyes scanned around the rink.  
  
  
Tomoyo followed her mother's movement, but didn't seem to see any kid around her age with blue hair and beautiful sapphire eyes that hid behind a pair of rimmed glasses.  
  
  
"I don't know." Tomoyo replied sadly.  
  
  
Sensing her sadness she comforted her child once more.  
  
  
"Well I'm sure one day you shall meet up with him right?"  
  
  
Tomoyo nodded, but she wasn't so sure about that. What are the chances of her meeting this stranger boy again? Out of millions of people that she will meet one day, how will she really know?  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Four years had passed and Tomoyo loved ice skating more than ever and would go there a few times every Christmas vacation. Once again she found herself at the rink one day with her classmates, her best friend and the other Cardcaptor, Li. Once they entered the rink Tomoyo had started skating expertly around the rink causing her classmates to whisper at how graceful and lovely Daidouji-san looked when she was skating.  
  
  
In his home, England, the very same boy watched on his television, powered by magic, as Tomoyo did a triple toe followed by another triple toe. After the triple/triple combination she continued to skate trying to increase her speed, in the end doing a lovely spiral. Every ice skating quality of her's could have matched the figure skating skills of the talented Michelle Kwan!  
  
  
"Well done Tomoyo-chan..." He whispered to no one before the television attention turned to Tomoyo's best friend, Sakura.  
  
  
"I wish you luck Mistress of the Clow Cards. We shall meet soon enough." Once again it shifted to Tomoyo, chatting with her classmates.  
  
  
"You too Tomoyo-chan. For I will be there for you when you fall again."  
  
  
After the whole ordeal with the transformation of the Clow Cards to Star Cards, Eriol left for England to settle some things with his ex-fiancée before moving completely to Japan. Eriol was there to listen to Tomoyo and comforted her when she would burst out crying because she was in love with Sakura. His embrace were always there for her when she needed it and everyone guessed that was why in the end Tomoyo Daidouji fell in love with Eriol Hiiragizawa and gotten married. Not ever knowing that he was that boy that helped her when she had fell the first time in her life.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
There came one day when their triplets turned five and Eriol had threw the three little girls a huge party at the ice skating rink, the very one in where their parents had met. When it came to ice skating it was their very first time. With the help from Eriol, their loving father, the three learned in an instant. As Tomoyo watched the scene, the silent promise that stated she would never cry in an ice skating rink after the first time, was broken when her eyes lay upon Dana, Rachie, Kyte, and Eriol Hiiragizawa skating together.  
  
  
Her joy stopped when Kyte, the one bundled up in a dark blue jacket, suddenly fell onto the ice and started to cry. Tomoyo rushed into the rink to gather and comfort her baby, while Eriol too, skated towards the fallen one. By the time Tomoyo was closer to her daughter Eriol was already there, just standing there with his hand stretched out to the little girl.  
  
  
Tomoyo stopped in her tracks.  
  
  
"Isn't it cold down there?" Where had she heard this before?  
  
  
"Yes, Tou-chan, it is VERY cold!" The little girl said as she sniffled a bit before taking her father's hand. When their hands made contact Eriol pulled his daughter up with such force that they ended up in an embrace. "Boy Tou-chan sure is strong!"  
  
  
He laughed.  
  
  
"If I wasn't strong how would I take care of you, your sisters and your Kaa-chan?" Eriol replied as the other two girls skated towards their sister.  
  
  
"Are you okay Imouto-chan?" Dana said, being the first one to reach them.Dana was known as the oldest since she was born five minutes before Kyte and ten minutes before Rachie, making Rachie the youngest one.  
  
  
"Yeah, are you okay Nee-chan?" Rachie asked her middle sister, her face flushed from skating a little too fast.  
  
  
"Un!" Little Kyte said as she got out of her father's embrace and started to skate with her sisters again, while at the same time squealing happily like falling down for the very first time had been nothing to her.  
  
  
While the three were skating farther away from the happy couple, they heard the eldest one speaking of becoming a lawyer one day and sueing ice skating rinks all over the world for making her little sister slip. The other two just laughed at Dana before tackling her into a bear-size hug.  
  
  
Eriol sighed at the scene and then turned around, he noticed his wife looking at him oddly. It was then that he realized that his words, his movement were the exact same thing he had greeted her when she was six. Not being able to stand Tomoyo looking at him like that he started talking.  
  
  
"You know Tomoyo-chan I never did get to hear you say your name that first time we met."  
  
  
"Really?" She asked as she skated slowly to Eriol.  
  
  
"Yeah, really." He replied, taking her in his arms by wrapping them around her waist. She leaned back, her head contently on his chest.  
  
  
"Would you like me to tell you my name now?" She said as she chuckled slightly at her own joke. They've been married for five and a half years you would think by now he would know his wife's name.  
  
  
"Sure." Eriol whispered as he kissed Tomoyo on her smooth cheek.  
  
  
"Why? It isn't like you haven't heard me say it before and it definitely isn't like you haven't heard yourself saying it before." Eriol laughed at her sick little thoughts.  
  
  
"I have, Kami-sama knows I have, but I don't think you have ever introduced yourself to me in the place where we met."  
  
  
"What? Here? Now? There are kids around, Eriol-kun." He laughed once again.  
  
  
"Tomoyo-chan be serious." Eriol scowled at her lightly. "Would you believe Li-kun and Sakura-chan thinking that I was the perverted one?"  
  
  
She giggled sweetly.  
  
  
"I believe in it. The only reason why I'm like this is because I married a perverted guy in the first place."  
  
  
"At least I am known as the teacher." Eriol mumbled jokingly. "However Tomoyo-chan be serious. This is the place where I met you, the place where you first fell, and the place where I had picked you up. I've heard you say your name once to me, and that was when we were being wed. You owe me, Tomoyo-chan." Eriol knew what she was going to say next.  
  
  
"How do I owe you if I had already spoken my name to you in the wedding ceremony?" She asked in confusion.  
  
  
His reply was. "Alas my dear wife I have saved you twice after all. I said 'first', and if it is stated that there is a number one, another one follows and in this case I have saved you a second time too."  
  
  
"Ah." She replied, thinking about what he had said. It was true he had helped her up twice. "Wow...you are smart as you are strong."  
  
  
Eriol loosened his grip on her waist as she turned around to look into those gorgeous sapphire eyes. Putting her arms around his neck she gave him a gentle brush on the lips.  
  
  
"I suppose I do owe you one right?" He nodded slightly. "My name is Tomoyo Hiiragizawa."  
  
  
"I know it is now, but what was your name before we got married, what was it when you were six, when we first met?" Eriol asked as he tucked one strand of hair behind her ears, not wanting her hair to get in the way of those big round amethyst eyes he loved so much.  
  
  
"I think my name has been the same, ever since you helped me. It just took a legal change when we finally got married, but I think in both our hearts that the Hiiragizawa name was meant for me." She said wisely.  
  
  
"Really?" It was his turn to ask that question.  
  
  
"Really." Tomoyo said.  
  
  
He leaned down and gave her a soft, feather-like kiss on the cheek and then another one on her lips.  
  
  
"Thank you." Eriol said in reply.  
  
  
Not wanting it to be too romantic, in case anything else happens like another child being born on the spot, Tomoyo countered back with humour.  
  
  
"Mmm...that is...if I knew your name then."  
  
  
They laughed, but before their conversation could progress back to the making out, they heard another one of their girls crying. The two pulled apart from each other and their eyes scanned the rink, looking for the source of the wailing noise. The two found that Rachie had fallen to the hard ice, and was bleeding a bit. They stayed in place as a boy skated towards her at full speed.  
  
  
"Are you okay?" The little boy asked as he grabbed Rachie's little hand and raised her up.  
  
  
"Thank you..." She replied shyly.  
  
  
"No problem, my name is Jeffery, but you can call me Turkey if you like!" He said as he introduced himself to the little lady in front of him.  
  
  
Rachie giggled at the nickname.  
  
  
"You food!" She squealed in delight as the boy blushed and scratched his head in embarrassment.  
  
  
"Yeah..." He said, not exactly knowing how to reply to her adorable little outburst.  
  
  
"Don't worry Turkey-chan. My name is Rachie, but you can call me Bunnie-chan because Kaa-chan, Tou-chan, and my two Nee-chans says I am hyper and cute just like a bunny! Of course I don't mind because I love bunnies!" She said happily to her new friend.  
  
  
Eriol and Tomoyo looked at each other once more after hearing their youngest daughter's conversation with the stranger. They looked at each other for a second before they bursted out laughing once more.  
  
  
At the very end of the ice rink, little Dana observed her surroundings contentedly; a cute smile on her cherry-red lips because of the cold. Seeing how everyone, most specially her family, laughed and looked happy like that, made her kind heart warm with happiness of her own. Looking up at the clear blue sky for a moment, she thanked God for everything she had and prayed for them to always be happy and well.  
  
  
Breaking her concentration, a devilish smirk took over her lips as the girl skated towards her family: she had somebody to tease about, and she was sure that Kyte-chan was more than willing to be her partner-in-crime.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The (Happily-Ever-After-Faerie-Tale) End  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
This is making it up [I hope] for not e-mailing Rachie-imouto while she was away. I'd like to mention that the last two paragraphs was typed up by DaNe, which I agree with %100! 


End file.
